Animal Collective – Sung Tongs 2LP

Description

OnSung Tongs, their first record distributed by FatCat, the two-manAnimal Collectivecome on like sun-scorched acid eaters gathered around the campfire, strumming and grinning while they weave their material out of cyclical singalongs and tight harmonies. Surprisingly, both for fans as well as new additions, that marks a much more accessible sound for a group that had previously probed the outer limits of prog and psychedelia. (Still, back to basics is the right place for a collective that released three albums in 2003.) Immediately called to mind here arethe Holy Modal Roundersand, to a lesser extent,the Incredible String Band. WhileAnimal Collectivecertainly don’t share the intimate knowledge of folk music or the expert musicianship ofthe Holy Modalsorthe ISB, they do understand the importance of repetition in reaching altered states, and they indulge in many naturalistic post-production enhancements to get there. “Leaf House” and “Who Could Win a Rabbit” open the record with a cozy atmosphere created from soaring harmonies andBeach Boys-type bungalow percussion. From there, with only a few exceptions,Sung Tongsdevolves into the loosest of jam sessions, a midsummer night’s dream of pixilated picking in similar company with the lengthy mid-album interlude (“Green Typewriters”) duringthe Olivia Tremor Control‘sDusk at Cubist Castle. Although the duo didn’t record nearly enough material to justify checking out quite so soon,Sung Tongsis a striking record, a breath of fresh air within experimentalist indie rock. -All Music Guide